Insulated glazed roofing system

ABSTRACT

A glazed roof structure which is suitable for forming a room that can be used year round includes a plurality of rafters with supporting insulating panels. The insulating panels have a foam core with upper and lower plastic or metal skins. These are supported by the rafters with upper and lower glazing beads and in effect are free floating panel structures supported on the roof. The foam panels have sufficient structural strength so that they do not bend and cause leakage in use.

BACKGROUND

[0001] Glazed roofing systems frequently used in conservatory-style roofs and Georgian-style roofs have typically been formed from metal frames and glass or transparent plastic panels. The roofs were formed from a series of rafters which supported transparent glass or plastic panels between the rafters. A water tight seal is formed by a glazing seal which is a rubber seal between the rafter and the panel. The panel must not flex significantly in use or the seal will not be maintained or the panel can fall or allow wind and/or water into the room.

[0002] Traditionally these have been seasonal rooms and therefore are not actually counted as part of the square footage of a house. One reason for this was the lack of insulation. Glass and plastic panels simply do not provide the requisite thermal insulation to permit rooms to be used year-round. The primary source of the heat loss would be through the roof as in any structure and in particular with the glass roof structure.

[0003] Conservatory-style rooms and Georgian-style rooms use a central hip beam which leads to a hub or ridge beams with rafters extending at an angle from the ridge beam. From the hub, a series of rafters would extend radially outward to provide a semi-circular roof structure. This would be relatively complex if wood truss systems are used. However, it can be premanufactured as a glazed system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention is premised on the realization that an insulated glazed roof structure can be formed by incorporating a foam core material into a glazed roof structure. The foam core material has a central foam structure with upper and lower smooth plastic or metal surfaces. These upper and lower surfaces have a surface smoothness that allows a generally water tight seal to be formed between the standard glazing bead and the skin. This allows the same glazed roof structure previously used with glass and clear plastic panels to be utilized with a foam core material. The foam core provides the desired thermal insulation permitting the rooms to be used year round. In particular, a foam board is used which has sufficient strength to remain straight while in place. This strength can be achieved by utilizing a thick foam board or selecting a thinner foam board engineered for such an application.

[0005] The objects and advantages of the present invention will be further appreciated in light of the following detailed drawings and descriptions in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a glazed roof system according to the present invention.

[0007]FIG. 1A is an exploded view partially in phantom of the roof system shown in FIG. 1.

[0008]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view partially broken away taken at lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

[0009]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view partially broken away taken at lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

[0010]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view partially broken away taken at lines 4-4 of FIG. 1.

[0011]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view partially broken away taken at lines 5-5 of FIG. 1.

[0012]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the central hub of the conservatory roof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is a glazed roof system 10. Although a conservatory style roof is shown, it can be used with other style roofs, including Georgian-style, traditional and lean-to. As shown, the roof system 10 has a central ridge beam 14 and a plurality of rafters 12 attached at a first end to ridge beam 14. The opposite ends of the rafters rest on eaves beams 15. Ridge beam 14 leads from the wall of a house 16 to a central hub 18.

[0014] Eaves beam 15 is supported by a wall structure (not shown). Between individual rafters 12 and extended from the ridge beam 14 and eaves beams 15 are insulating panels 22 which are held in position along their peripheral edge by glazing seals as is discussed hereinbelow.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, panels 22 have a foam core 28 and upper and lower skins 32 and 34. The thickness of the foam can vary depending upon the desired thermal insulation and required strength. In general, these will be more than 1″ thick and preferably 1.5″ to two inches or greater with about two inches being preferred.

[0016] Rafters 12 as shown in FIG. 2 include a central metal support member 36 which includes a head portion 38, a T-shaped bottom portion 42 which is connected in turn by a central portion 44. Preferably this central metal support 36 is formed from a light weight non-rusting metal, in particular aluminum. Attached to the bottom portion 42 of rafter 12 is a C-shaped extruded channel 46 which is made of weather resistant plastic such as polyvinylchloride. The channel 46 includes first and second pairs of glazing seals 48 and 52 which are co-extruded at the ends of inwardly turned arms 54. T-shaped bottom portion 42 includes left and right arms 56 and 58 which each include an upwardly extended channel 62 and 64. If there is any leakage, the water is directed through this channel 46 to the eaves beam.

[0017] Ridge members 66 of channel 46 rest in the channels 62 and 64 holding the channel 46 in position. The bottom surface 34 of panel 22 rests in a free floating nature on the seals 48 and 52. This forms a generally airtight seal.

[0018] The head member 38 includes a left and right groove 82 and 84 which diverge from each other and each include an outwardly extended undercut portion 86 and 88. An extruded glazing member 92 attaches to the head member 38. The glazing member includes left and right side legs 94 and 96 and a central portion 98. Extended down from central portion 98 are left and right prongs 102 and 104 which each include an outwardly extended barb 106 and 108. The prongs 102 and 104 are outwardly biased. Thus when forced into grooves 82 and 84, the prongs will flex inwardly initially and then press outwardly holding the glazing member 92 in position.

[0019] At the distal edges of legs 94 and 96 are elastomeric sealing beads 112 and 114 which in turn engage and form a seal with the upper surface 32 of panel 22. This in turn forms a water tight seal which allows the foam core to move slightly if necessary in the event there is any shifting of any of the rafters or thermal expansion.

[0020] The lower portion 160 of panels 22 are supported by the eaves beam 15. Eaves beam 15 includes a channel 161. As shown in FIG. 4, a plastic support member 152 resting in channel 161 supports rafters 12. As shown in FIG. 3, running between the rafters, and between eaves beam 15 and support panel 22 is a sealing channel 133 having first and second arms 164,165 which are held in grooves 166,167 in channel 161. Upper surface 168 includes elastomeric glazing seals 169 which support panels 22 and form a generally air tight seal.

[0021] The lower edge portion 118 of panel 22 is terminated by a plastic end cap 122 which has a lower drip edge 124.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 5, ridge beam 14 also supports rafters 12. Ridge beam 14 includes an upper portion 141, a central portion 142 and a lower portion 143. Lower portion 143 includes two opposed C-shaped channels 144 which hold a plastic support member 145. Extended upwardly from support member 145 is a second sealing channel 146. The upper edge of sealing channel 146 is a pair of elastomeric glazing members 147. The rafters 12 rest on the support member 145 with the panels 22 resting on glazing member 147. A plastic cover 148 covers lower portion 143 snapfitted onto the C-shaped channels 144.

[0023] The upper portion 141 of ridge beam 140 is covered with a ridge cap 149. Ridge cap 149 includes two side panels 150 which extend over the upper portion 38 of rafters 12 and panels 22. Sealing members 151 extend to the upper edge 152 of panels 22 with a rubber glazing element 153 forming a seal with panel 22.

[0024] At the forward end of the roof structure 70 is a central hub or spider 18. Central hub 18 includes a lower segmented semicircular plate 171 which supports a plurality of rafters 173 extended tangentially toward eaves beam 15. Glazing seals 174 extend between the rafters 173. Rafters 173 are structurally the same as rafters 22. Triangular panels 175 fit between rafters 173. These panels are formed of the same material as panels 22. A semicircular cap 176 covers the upper edge 179 of panels 175 and rafters 173. A rafter glazing seal (not shown) forms an airtight seal between the cap 176 and the panels 175.

[0025] A decorative finial 177 is bolted to cap 176 and a decorated crest 178 is bolted to ridge cover beam 14.

[0026] Panels 22 and 173 are preferably polyurethane foam which is coated on the upper and lower surfaces by an aluminum film or thin plastic film such as polyester or polyvinylchloride. One such material which is available for purchase is made by Urban Industries. Other materials that provide desired strength and thermal insulation can obviously be employed as long as they include the upper and lower smooth plastic and/or metal skins. Specifically, they should preferably have an R-factor of at least R-11 and not flex more than L/50 in use. This latter factor will vary depending on the distance between rafters and the potential snow load.

[0027] The glazed roof system of the present invention enables one to construct a roof using standard glazed panel construction.

[0028] However, it provides the added advantage of significant thermal barrier properties allowing the conservatory room to be considered a year round room. This construction is particularly suitable for conservatory and Georgian-style roofs where a plurality of rafters extend out from a central hub to provide a semi-circular construction that extends from a central hip beam or where a plurality of rafters extend at acute angles from a ridge beam. Using a glazed construction to hold foamed panels facilitates construction and reduces the possibility of leaks. The foamed panels are held by glazing beads without penetration of the panels reducing the possibility of leakage. In particular, the system is designed to hold foam panels which are thick enough to remain straight and not flex under snow loads.

[0029] This has been a description of the present invention and the preferred mode of practicing the invention. However, the invention itself should only be defined by the appended claims wherein we claim: 

1. A glazed roof structure comprising: a plurality of rafters; roofing panels supported between two adjacent rafters said panels resting between upper and lower glazing beads on said rafters; said panels comprising a foam core having upper and lower skins; and wherein said skins form water tight seals between said upper and lower glazing beads by compression between said upper and lower beads and said panel.
 2. The glazed roof structure claimed in claim 1 wherein first and second ends of said rafters are supported by upper and lower beams.
 3. The glazed roof structure claimed in claim 2 wherein a plurality of rafters extend radially outward from a central point and support a plurality of said panels between adjacent rafters.
 4. The glazed roof structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said panels have a thickness greater than 1″.
 5. The glazed roof structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said panels have a thickness of at least 1.5″.
 6. The glazed roof structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said roof is a conservatory style roof.
 7. The glazed roof structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said roof structure is a Georgian-style roof.
 8. The glazed roof structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said panels are polyurethane foam panels having a thickness of at least 1.5″. 